The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a defamation suit filed by an association of schools for troubled youths against a United Press International reporter. The 10th Circuit on Tuesday agreed with a trial judge that the federal court in Utah has no authority over the case because Thomas Houlahan, who researched a story in 2003 about schools operated by the St. George-based World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools, lives in Washington, D.C. In its suit, WWASP had alleged that Houlahan falsely told parents that school officials abused their children.
